The present invention relates to drive axles and particularly drive axles arranged in tandem to receive power from a common power input or propeller shaft, and with a power divider for providing shared power from the propeller shaft to the tandem drive axles. In particular, the invention relates to tandem drive axles operating from a common propeller shaft and employing a power divider comprising an in inter-axle differential. Tandem drive axles having an inter-axle differential are widely used in heavy duty trucks for on- and off-road service. Furthermore, it is known to employ an inter-axle differential in tandem drive axles with a shiftable mechanism for locking the inter-axle differential to provide positive drive to the leading and trailing tandem axles.
In such drive axles it is common to have a supply of lubricant in the housing and to provide positive lubricant pressure to the input and output shaft journals and the inter-axle differential which are disposed above the level of lubricant in the housing.
Heretofore, a gear driven lubricant has been employed which has been driven through an idler gear from the input shaft and which directed a spray to the inter-axle differential.
Thus it has been desired to provide a low-cost and convenient way to incorporate a lubricant pump for providing positive flow of lubricant to the input and output shaft journals in the driving axles.